Portuguese Socialist Party leader Eurico Brilhante Dias criticized the government’s recent preference for dialogue with the far-right, labeling it “deeply negative for the country.” Speaking ahead of the State of the Nation debate scheduled for Thursday, Brilhante Dias emphasized the PS’s openness to discussing crucial issues, such as immigration and nationality laws reforms that include the creation of the PSP’s Foreigners and Borders Unit.
Brilhante Dias positioned the PS as an “alternative opposition” to the current right-wing parliamentary bloc, criticizing the administration led by Luís Montenegro for lacking solutions to the nation’s essential issues, claiming the country is worse off under the current government.
Highlighting the long journey of opposing a government without a development agenda, Brilhante Dias noted significant issues in the healthcare and education sectors as examples.
Brilhante Dias pointed out that more Portuguese citizens lack family doctors, emergency rooms face closures, and issues with INEM and emergency assistance persist.
In education, Brilhante Dias criticized the minister’s contradictory statements regarding the reduction of students without teachers, pointing to a failed audit process that has left questions unanswered a year on.
He remarked that previously easy solutions in opposition have now become “very difficult to resolve” for the government.
Brilhante Dias stressed that the lack of direction has worsened the situation in the country.
Asked about the party’s priorities after the parliamentary recess, Brilhante Dias stated that the PS will focus on the livelihood of the Portuguese citizens, emphasizing the cost of living and income as their primary concerns, alongside health and education initiatives.
The State of the Nation debate, scheduled for Thursday, will be the first since the XXV Constitutional Government took office, with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and government members in attendance.
